Wolf's Dilemma
by hanyoulover001
Summary: Ayame has always loved Kouga, but he claims his heart belongs to Kagome. Can she ever show him what real love is? Read and find out... This story is for anyone who has ever loved someone that has not felt the same way towards you.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

WAKING UP

She slipped her hand behind his head and brought a small wooden bowl to his lips. The unconscious wolf demon didn't even stir. So she set his head and the bowl down with a sigh. She was worried for Kouga's well being, but after his fight with Naraku's incarnation, he hadn't responded to too much.

Ayame stood up and looked back toward the cave's entrance. Kouga's two comrades laid along with the wolfs from both packs. She watched the moon shine in for a second and gave out another sad sigh. There wasn't much she could do now, but hope and wait that Kouga will fight to live…

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"Kouga!" He heard Kagome shout out his name in a blood curdling scream. Naraku's incarnation, Mouryoumaru, impaled him with one of his mantis-like claws. Kouga's blood splattered across the parched ground below. Mouryoumaru had already taken the Shikon no Tama Shards in his legs before Kagome and her friends had shown up. But there was nothing they could do for him now. Kouga could feel himself getting weaker with each slice and hit he received from Naraku's incarnation, but the moment he felt it bury its claw through him, he told himself, it's over…

He looked up toward Kagome and stretched out his hand out to her. Will this be the last time that I see you, he thought as his body began to give out and Mouryoumaru just tossed his limp body aside.

He closed his eyes as he felt himself slip into the darkness. He could hear Kagome's voice calling out to him, but his pain was just too strong. He had failed his comrades that had perished under Naraku's hand. He had fail himself… but most importantly, he had failed Kagome…

Kouga's eyes opened suddenly. Had it been a dream? Sweat drenched his body, making it glisten and his heart raced beneath his chest. He tried to move; to sit up, but couldn't. It ached beyond words and his body felt like it hadn't been moved in years.

"Kouga", he heard a woman's voice speak softly. He turned his head slowly to the cave's entrance and saw a silhouette walk gradually toward him. The day light shining behind her made it hard to tell who it was.

"Who's there?" His voice was hoarse and almost nonexistent. Her walk began to quicken and as she got closer he was able to make her face out. "Ayame?"

"Kouga! You're awake", she said while kneeling next to him and throwing herself over him with tears streaming down her face.

"Where am I?"

"You're in my pack's cave. Up in the mountains."

"How did I get here?"

"I was following your scent and trying to catch up with you to give you assistance with Naraku, like my Grandfather had asked me to do, but only found you seriously injured by someone called Mouryoumaru. Kagome and her companions had defeated him and she asked me to take you some where safe to heal and recover."

"Kagome…" He whispered to himself with a smile. She was always so worried about him. That's why he had to defeat Naraku, so that she won't have to worry about anything anymore.

"I can't just be laying around…" With a low growl from his throat, he finally and painfully forced himself to sit up. "I have to find Naraku… I was so close to getting him." Ayame realized that he had no idea how much time had passed since his fight with Mouryoumaru and now.

"Naraku's dead, Kouga…" His face went blank out of shock.

"How can Naraku be dead! Who killed him!"

"From what I hear, Inuyasha and his friends…" Anger began to boil his insides at the sound of that name.

"Inuyasha", he whispered enraged. How could a dog turd like him kill Naraku, he asked himself. He looked back at Ayame. "How long have I been here?"

"Almost three months."

"WHAT! Three months !"

"Yeah… After I brought you here, I heard that Naraku had been defeated a month later."

"I was here asleep while Inuyasha was out there killing Naraku?" He was disgusted by that. Abruptly, a thought hit him. If Inuyasha was fighting Naraku then Kagome must've been with him. "Kagome!" He looked franticly at Ayame, "Is Kagome alright?"

The concern and anxiety in his voice and on his face ripped her heart in half. He nearly died and all he can think of is her, she reflected to herself. The question torn at her like a ill fated arrow tearing through flesh. She stood up and coldly looked down before saying, "Kagome is fine."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

THOSE WONDERFUL PRIVATE MOMENTS

With her arms crossed, Ayame watched out the corner of her eye as Kouga limped over to the entrance of the cave.

"You really shouldn't force yourself like that…" she said a bit bitter that Kouga was trying to walk so soon after waking up. All this just to go see that stupid girl, I'm sure, she thought. Though Kagome was on Kouga's mind, it wasn't the reason why he was in a hurry to get better. He needed to find out exactly what had happened to Naraku while he was asleep. He needed to find Inuyasha and get the details directly from him. Everything else was secondary.

"I'm not forcing myself", he huffed back. He looked down to his legs and saw the huge scars that were left behind as reminders that his Shards were gone. He turned to Ayame and asked, "What happened to the Jewel?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask "your" Kagome about that once you see her." Her tone was still bitter. She was the one who tended to his wounds and nursed him back to life, not Kagome. She didn't understand why this man loved a human girl so much to risk his honor and place so much loyalty on her when she obviously she didn't feel the same way.

Kouga sensing that Ayame was having some issues with his feeling towards Kagome, said, "I'm not planning on seeing her first."

"Huh?" Ayame was surprised by his comment.

"I need to speak to the mutt first to find out what happened that night. It should've been me that killed Naraku, not him. But even so, in a way, my comrades' lives have been avenged and even it wasn't by my hand, the mutt still needs to be-" He stopped himself. He just couldn't bring himself to say that Inuyasha disserved to be thanked. He looked at Ayame, who was watching him carefully, and began again, "Is there something to eat? I'm starting to get hungry." She beamed, knowing that it wasn't Kagome who he had on his mind and at the fact that he needed her.

"Yeah! Just sit down and I'll bring you something right away, okay?" With a smile that wrapped around her face, she went to his side and lead him to the unlit campfire before sitting him down.

After eating, he looked over to Ayame. She was sitting against the cave wall with one of her wolfs sitting next to her. Her eyes where looking out the cave and into the distance. He could tell she was deep in thought. He cleared his throat.

"Ayame, I want to thank you for taking care of me." She turned to look at him. It stunned her to hear his voice say that to her. She hadn't done it for any other reason, but to make sure he was alright. She gave him a big smile and told him not to worry about it. The goofy face that was smeared on her made him smile in return. He had to admit, she was sweet. She almost reminded him of Kagome. He turned to look at the now lit campfire as his thoughts continued, they share the same tender nature.

Suddenly , he felt a hand touch his thigh. He quickly turned to find Ayame running her fingers down his leg; tracing the scar left by Mouryoumaru. His face immediately reddened and he could feel his body begin to get hot as his heart pounded in his chest.

"Wha-What are you doing", he stumbled on his own words. She looked up at him. Her smile still there.

"You're healing very well. You'll be back to your normal self in no time." She took her hand off thigh and sat back. Her smile was replaced by a serious face before beginning again, "You'll be leaving here soon, won't you?"

"As soon as I can", he answered truthfully. His words struck her like a blow. The thought that she wasn't enough to make him stay almost made her eyes well up. But she tried to play off her broken heart and smiled again.

"Well, as long as you're better." Her insides twisted as he just turned back to look at the fire. How could he be so cold towards her? She couldn't understand. After all the sleepless nights by his side, how could he just brush her off like that?

She let out a depressed sigh and decided to just go out and watch the sun set behind the valley. Leaving him to his own thoughts.

The following day, Ayame woke up feeling a bit more at peace than the day before. She turned to the back of the cave and saw Kouga, leaning against the rocky wall, asleep. His face was calm and at ease. A grin began to grow on her face while she watched him rest. After a few seconds, she stood up and made her way out the cave, towards the springs that flowed from the mountain.

Each step she took brought another tormented thought. Now that Naraku's dead, Kouga will be looking to marry Kagome. Her face distorted itself at the thought. But after a few minutes of travel, she finally reached the spring. Stopping her self inflicted torture.

Ayame undressed and entered the chilled water. Hoping that the sudden shock will jolt Kouga out of her mind, but it was useless. Her heart wouldn't let her mind forget him.

Just as she was about to dive down under the water, she heard the pebbles rustle at the bank. She quickly stood up and turned around; expecting an attacker, but only found Kouga starring back at her. His face red and his eyes wide. Mortified, she turned her back on him and dunked back into the water.

Feeling just as embarrassed as she did, Kouga turned his back on her. The small glimpse that he had gotten of the bathing Ayame left him speechless. He had followed her scent to tell her something that, at the moment, was lost somewhere within his thoughts of the naked girl behind him.

"Uh… I'm sorry! I didn't know you were- I just came to tell you that", the thought finally came back to him, "I'll be leaving tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow! You can't leave that soon!" Still in the water, she turned around to look at him, but was greeted by his back.

"I have to."

"Kouga, I know you're very strong, but it took you this long to get well. You almost lost your life. I don't think you should be pushing yourself so much." He didn't give her an answer. She was right, but his need to put an end to his quest came before everything.

"I'll let you finish", he said to her before walking back the way he came from. She gave out a sigh. This is gonna be a long day, she told herself before submerging completely under the water.


	3. Chapter 3

AUTHOR'S NOTE:Kagome says something in this chapter that might throw some of you through a loop. The thing is that this story goes along with a story I wrote earlier "An End and A Beginning". That story explains in full detail that small paragraph. But you don't have to read it to understand this story or the relationship between Kouga and Ayame. if you want to understand better what exactly happened to Inuyasha and Kagome, you are more than welcome to read the story I mentioned above. Thank You!

CHAPTER 3

KOUGA'S HEARTBREAK

Kouga could smell Kagome's scent everywhere. He took in one huge breath as he stood at he edge of the open area within the forest. He had left the mountains very early in the morning and had traveled as fast as he could to the small village that he knew Kagome frequented. He knew that where Kagome was, Inuyasha would be there, too. But her scent lead him past the village and into the forest. Finally ending at this clearing. A small house laid in the far corner and in the middle if the space stood a dried up old well. Kouga took a few steps forward before seeing Kagome walk out of the small house with a basket in her hands. She looked up and with pure surprise, yelled out, "KOUGA!"

A smile formed on his face as he watched her drop her basket, grab the bottom of her pink kimono, and run towards him. Her expression showed absolute happiness which made his heart skip.

"KAGOME!" He couldn't help himself, but to say her name. But all happiness dissipated as he saw Inuyasha come out of the same small enclosure. His arms crossed within his sleeves and a stern look on his face.

Kagome stopped a few feet from Kouga with a beaming smile on her face, "Kouga! You're alright! I'm so glad! We were all so worried about you. We hadn't had news about you for a very long time. What happened?" By this time, Inuyasha had reached the two and lodged himself in the gap between them.

"What do you want, baka", Inuyasha huffed at him. Kouga noticed that Inuyasha was different. He was human. And in the day. Something had happened that Kouga didn't understand yet. He needed to know what it was.

"What happened to you, mutt", he asked half laughing.

"Nun'ya business, you mangy wolf!" He got in Kouga's face.

"Ok, you two. Stop it!" Kagome jammed herself between the two snarling men. Finally separating them, she turned to Kouga and said, "Don't you know?"

"Know what? I've been up in the mountains recovering this whole time."

"Kouga, after your fight with Mouryoumaru, Kana took off with your shards. We tried to stop her, but she was gone before we knew it. It wasn't long after that, that Kohaku, Sango's brother who also had a shard in his back, fought Naraku and was killed. With Kohaku's death, Naraku had the complete Shikon no Tama. Many fought Naraku and by the time we got to him he had already been weakened. But Naraku finally fell; leaving the completed Jewel to us. I was able to purify it out of existence, but in doing so, Inuyasha lost his demon half."

"So the Jewel is gone?" Kagome nodded. "Is all this true, dog breath?" He turned to Inuyasha, hoping to stir up a fight. Inuyasha gave him a harsh look before starting, "Why you little-"

"INUYASHA!" Kagome interrupted. Kouga was satisfied with the information that he had received from Kagome and proceeded to take her hand to declare his love and appreciation to her one more time, but Inuyasha immediately turned bright red in anger and pushed him away from her.

"Take your dirty paws off my wife!" Kouga's mouth dropped to the floor.

"Your… Your WHAT!"

"My wife." Inuyasha began to grow a spiteful grin across his face. Seeing the pain those two little words cause Kouga, brought him so much pleasure. He could never stand the sight of this skinny wolf demon.

"Kagome, is this true!" Kouga looked up to the girl blushing behind Inuyasha. She couldn't look him in the eye, but she gave him a little nod.

"Just last week…" she said meekly. He fell back onto himself in utter shock. How could she marry this dog turd standing in front of him? How could she not even take his feelings in to consideration? Kouga heard something shatter. If it was the earth or his heart, he couldn't tell. He had to get out of there. His mind was racing with too many thoughts and he would be surprised if he would be able to make a complete sentence.

"Well, as long as you're happy, Kagome", he said with a slight smile; trying to hide the amazement and pain that he was in.

"Well, how does it feel, Kouga, to first be too weak to fight Naraku and then loose the girl?" Inuyasha teased him with laughter. Kouga said nothing. Only his serious expression made his feelings known.

"I get it, Inuyasha… You won…" Kouga said to him before turning to Kagome and bidding her farewell. Inuyasha felt a slight pang of guilt for his banter. He hadn't really realized just how much pain the wolf demon was in. He always figured that he was after Kagome just to spite him. I guess I was wrong, Inuyasha thought.

Neither one of them said anything as they watched Kouga run off in the direction he came from.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

BUMPING INTO AYAME

Kouga stood at the bank of a river out side the village he just left. Kagome and Inuyasha's village. His body shook in anger at the thought that it was that small village where they planned to make their home together. Kouga wasn't angry at them, but with himself. He had always known that Kagome's heart didn't belong to him, but he hoped, no, he believed that with time and with enough selfless deeds, he'd prove to her he was worth her attention, if not her heart. And now, after all he'd done to try to prove himself, he realized that Kagome's heart had chosen a long time before he showed up. Kouga felt like an idiot and a fool.

"Kouga!" He turned to see who had called out his name. Ayame? What is she doing here, he asked himself.

Ayame had woken up that morning to find Kouga gone. Without thinking it twice, she followed after his scent. She needed to know what he as going to do. Was he going to marry Kagome? She had to know. She traveled most of the day, but finally picked his scent up that lead her to a small river outside a village. She pushed her way through some bushes at the end of the forest and stopped at the river's bank. Ayame found Kouga several feet away… and alone. She called out his name and began to make her way over to him, but somewhere between her thoughts of Kouga and her happiness in seeing him, she felt her foot get caught on a rock; making her land on the pebbled ground. Ayame felt the palms of her hands and her knees tear as she landed on them.

"Are you okay", he asked as he walked over to her.

"I'm such an idiot." Her face had turned red as she sat back and looked down at her bloody palms and knees.

"You're not an idiot… You just tripped", he said as he knelt down next to her, taking her hands, palm side up, in his. He then looked at her with a small grin on his face, "Here, let me help you." He slipped one hand around her and another behind her knees, carrying her like she weighed nothing to the river's edge. She began to feel her heart stop and her body lose all feeling. Never in her life could she even begin to imagine what it felt like to be in his arms and, yet, there she was.

He set her down and took her hands. Dunking them under the cold water, he began to wash off all the dirt and blood out of her scrapped palms. She could feel her body getting hot and her face was the brightest red.

"You don't have to do this, you know…" Though everything inside of her was screaming out of joy. This was the first time since they first met that he had done something this sweet.

"Sure, I do… You did a lot more for me." He let a small smile creep back on to his face before giving back her hands. Sliding his hands between her two knees, Kouga held Ayame's legs in his hands. Her eyes grew huge and she began to fidget around. She knew he was only trying to rinse out her knees, but his hands where on her thighs. She was shaking half out of embarrassment and half out of nerves.

He noticed how uncomfortable she was at the fact that his hands where on her legs, but he needed to clean out her scraped knees. He poured water over her wounds and watched as it ran off her skin, leaving small beads that traced the path of the curves of her legs. He felt his jaw tense and immediately looked up into her eyes to make sure she wasn't watching him. She was. As quickly as he could and without losing her gaze, returned her legs to her. Neither one moved from their spot for awhile.

"Why are you alone?" She had to finally ask him. That was the reason why she had followed him all the way there.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought you'd be with Kagome by now…" Oh, yeah, that's right, he thought, Kagome married Inuyasha. With Ayame there, he had forgotten, for a few moments, the reason why he was even there to begin with.

"Kagome's married… To Inuyasha." The words started to sting all over again. Ayame sat there in shock at what she had heard. She was right, Kagome didn't have the same feelings that Kouga had towards her.

"I'm sorry… I know how you feel…" Kouga looked sharply at her.

"What would you know about how I feel, Ayame?" To him, she was still inexperienced in the matters of life.

" Kouga", his statement made her realize he really didn't know how she felt about him, "How can you say that?" She lowered her head. "I've always loved you. Ever since I was a little girl and you asked me to be your wife that night when the moon gave a rainbow at night. You're the reason why I was able to get through my Grandfather's training up in the mountains. So when you told me that it was Kagome who you wanted, my heart broke. You were so callus and cold. You don't even remember asking me to marry you. I'm just a tossed memory to you. An unremembered obligation. And you still ask me what I would know about how you feel?" Tears began to burn her eyes as Kouga was completely taken back by what she had told him.

"Ayame…" he tried to figure out something to say to her, but couldn't find the right words. He knew she had feelings for him, but he had no clue to how strong they were.

"Ayame! Ayame!" They were interrupted by a voice calling out. Both stood up as soon as they saw a injured wolf come out of the forest and stagger towards them.

"Uncle!" Ayame recognized the bleeding wolf demon. She quickly ran to his side and at the moment her hands held him in her arms, he collapsed. The wolf's breathing was shallow, but he somehow was able to speak.

"Ayame… You must come back now… Your Grandfather…"

"Uncle! What has happened!"

"Your Grandfather… He's dead…" Ayame lost all sense of everything. She clutched on to her Uncle's fur as tears flowed from her eyes.

"Who's done this!" Kouga immediately stepped in, seeing that Ayame was beginning to crumble.

"A demon… He said he was once a part of Naraku…"


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

ON OUR WAY

Ayame stood up. Her body shook out of anger. Naraku had been dead for more than two months and he was still causing pain. She had to get back to the mountains as soon as possible.

"Let's go", Kouga said as he took the bleeding wolf demon from Ayame's arms. She looked up at him surprised.

"You're coming?"

"You want me to miss a chance at avenging our comrades and your Grandfather?" A smirk came across his face that answered her question. She gave him a smile in return before nodding in approval.

With Ayame's Uncle along with them, they began their long trip back to the mountains. They rushed past forest after forest, stream after stream and ignoring their tired bodies. But just as Ayame was getting her second wind, Kouga came up next to her and said that they needed to stop.

"What's wrong", she asked him once they had both halted. The sun was beginning to set, giving the forest that they stood in a beautiful orange glow.

"Your Uncle, Ayame…" Kouga held out the wolf's limp body. She took a step back in shock.

"He can't be…" She took the lifeless body out of Kouga's arms and laid him on the ground. Everything in her wanted him be to alive, but after a few minutes of trying to have him respond, she realized that he was gone. Ayame stood up and tried to hold the dead wolf demon in her arms, but her body had gone weak at the moment it finally hit her that, first, her Grandfather was dead and, now, her Uncle, too . Kouga immediately swooped her and the wolf in his arms before her knees gave in completely. With his arms around her, she turned into his chest and began to cry. Her body wouldn't let her do anything else.

"Ayame…" Kouga slid his hand under her chin and lifted her face towards him. "I know you're upset, but we need to bury him before we go back. You can't be like this if you plan to avenge their deaths. You have to be strong, Ayame…" She knew that Kouga was right. If she planned to fight and take revenge on who ever the attacker against her pack and the murderer of her Grandfather was, she was going to have to put her emotions aside to look at the bigger picture. So she wiped her tears away and nodded towards Kouga.

By the time they had finished burying Ayame's Uncle, the moon had come out. It shined down silver rays as Ayame sat down next to a small mound. She was trying to be strong like Kouga had told her to do, but it was getting really hard.

"Are you alright", Kouga asked her in a soft tone. He knelt down next to her to be able to look at her better in the dim moonlight. She turned to him with a blank and expressionless face.

"I'll be better once the bastard that did all this is dead."

"Good. So come on… We have a long way to go." He stood back up and watched as Ayame took off in a whirlwind. Now, she, too, had been dragged into something that he had spent so much time and energy in trying to do… revenge. Maybe they weren't at all too different than what he first thought they were. He let out a sigh before following behind her, also in a whirlwind.

They didn't reach the mountains until late that night. Ayame's heart was pounding at the thought that her pack could be dead. She pushed herself harder to get there sooner, when all of a sudden, a sharp coppery smell hit her nose. Her feet stopped moving. She recognized that smell all too well. It was blood and a lot of it.

"You smell that, too?" Kouga came up behind her. She nodded. He was starting to fear the worst. If the pack had been attacked by a strong enough demon, there might not be any survivors. He turned to look at Ayame. She had been heartbroken enough these last few days, she didn't deserve to be left without a pack. She is too good of a woman to have all these bad things happen to her, he thought.

"Come on. We can't just stand around here", she said as she turned to look at him, but was surprised to see that he was starring at her already. She ignored the whole situation.

"Let's go."

They made their way through the mountains until they finally reached her pack's cave. It was littered in dead bodies and a horrendous stench that Kouga immediately identified as Naraku's.

Ayame couldn't take too much more. She panned the whole area with her eyes and all she could see was the dead bodies of her pack. Every last one of them, dead. This time it was anger that began to fill her. It was more like rage that ran through her body. The smell of her dead pack's blood clung in her nose.

They began to slowly walk through the blood soaked area. Looking down at the ground, she saw the people she loved the most laying lifeless as if they had been tossed aside. Kouga could feel the fury radiating off of Ayame and was about to say something when they heard rocks rustle behind them. They turned at the same time and found a silhouette standing in the shadows.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

THE PRICE OF REVENGE

Dead bodies laid tossed aside on the mountain clearing that lead to the entrance of Ayame's pack's cave. But hiding in the shadows within the cave was something that neither Kouga or Ayame could imagine.

"Well, I wasn't expecting visitors", a sultry voice hissed. Kouga and Ayame stood in the middle of the open area, preparing themselves to fight.

"Who's there", Kouga called out. He took a step forward and moved Ayame behind him. She was so engrossed in the moment that the fact that he intended to protect her completely slipped passed her.

"And why do you care who's here", the silhouette asked.

"Bastard! You killed my pack and now you're in my cave! So show yourself, NOW", Ayame screamed as she clicked her sword from its sheath. Kouga saw the rage that was within her and knew that she was planning to fight to the death, so he clicked his sword open, too, while his right hand held on to the handle.

Its laugh echoed through the chilled mountain air. "Very well. If your wish is to die, I can take care of that myself." The silhouette took a step forward and allowed the moonlight to shower down upon it. Exposing its identity.

The demon had the face of a woman, but the body of a wasp. Its wings glistened under the moon's silver light and its hairy legs looked like tree trunks in the darkness.

"She's a wasp", Ayame gasped.

"You have Naraku's disgusting stench", Kouga yelled out at the thing looming over them.

"Do I? Must be because I was once part of him. Naraku liked to discard the demons that weren't useful to him every time he created a new body for himself. I was the last one to ever be freed from his body before he took in the Jewel and made his final body."

"So you're nothing more than Naraku's leftovers! This will be easy", Kouga laughed.

"Fool! Naraku only kept the strongest of demons. To ignore the fact that he kept me until the very end, is to ignore my power!"

"You talk too much", Ayame's nose still burned at the smell of her pack's blood and every time she looked down at the fallen bodies of her people, she was reminded of her aching pain and searing anger. She wanted this thing dead as soon as possible and whatever the cost.

She unsheathed her weapon and began running at full speed toward the wasp demon across from her. But the demon began to flap its wings; making sudden gusts of wind that knocked Ayame off her feet. She could feel dirt stinging into the scrapes that earlier that day Kouga had so gently washed, but that didn't matter to her at the moment. As quickly as she fell, she stood back up with her sword ready to attack.

The huge wasp demon had moved its way unto the air and the sound of its flapping wings hummed so loudly that it made the ground vibrate. Ayame was somehow able to gain her balance from the shaking ground and leaped up to slice her katana through the demon, but just as she was about to strike it, the wasp hit her with one of its legs. It knocked her back down to earth and made her slice her leg against a jagged rock. She grimaced at the pain of the huge gash that was spewing blood unto the already gory ground. She tried to get back up, but this time she couldn't. Her leg had broken.

"Ayame!" Seeing that Ayame wasn't getting up, Kouga ran to her side to make sure she was alright. "What's wrong", he asked while he knelt down by her side.

"My leg… I can't move it!" Behind them the wasp demon's laugh began to echo again through out the mountains.

"This will be easier than I thought", it cackled.

"SHUT YOUR TRAP!" Kouga rose up from the ground and turned to the wasp. "You shouldn't have touched her", he growled deep and low.

"Oh? And what are you going to do now? …Kill me", it teased back.

"That's right! I'm gonna rip your head off with my bare hands!" With that, he began to dashed in the direction of the demon. Sword still sheathed, but his knuckles popped and ready.

Kouga leaped into the air with a surprising fury. The wasp demon threw attack after attack at him, but he dodged them gracefully, using its legs as a place to push off. Each leap brought him higher up in the air, giving him the perfect view of where to attack. He clutched his fist tight as he cocked his arm back and move to strike it in its face, but it anticipated his attack. Using one its six legs, struck him hard in the chest; throwing him down. He landed on the ground with a long skid on his side and a heavy grunt. The wasp immediately landed and ran behind Kouga. He rolled over onto his back to try to get up, but the wasp woman came up over him and stomped down on his chest. It's foot began to crush him. He was struggling to breath so he tried to push its leg off, but the demon was putting all its weight on him.

Ayame was losing enormous amounts of blood and her head was beginning to spin, but the moment she saw Kouga under the hairy leg of the wasp, she forced herself onto her hands and knees. Crawling, she started to make her way over to him. She dragged her broken leg behind her, ignoring the excruciating pain. Taking her sword out of its sheath, she sliced right through the wasp woman's leg; cutting it off. It shrieked in pain before swatting Ayame. She was tossed back about a fifty yards before smacking, back first, into the mountain wall next to her cave's entrance. Her feet dangled a few yards off the floor as she felt the mountain's sharp rocks pierce through her. Warm blood began to run down and dripped off her legs. She gave out a soft groan before falling limp on the ground.

Kouga gasped to see Ayame drop. She was hurt so badly and she did it all to save him. He wasn't about to have her pain go in vain. So, with a determination that he had never had before, he turned back to the wasp demon. His eyes glowed a bright red and his claws were out. He rushed the demon and in one fatal leap, sliced it in half on his way down. Kouga landed softly on the ground as the wasp thumped onto the floor in two pieces. He let out a soft sigh. It's over, he told himself. It might've not been Naraku, but for now it would have to do. At least Ayame's pack's deaths were avenged. She wouldn't have to carry the same guilt that he did. He turned to look at the limp girl a few feet from him and went to her side.

"Ayame", Kouga said softly as he took her in his arms. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Why did you do that? I could've taken care of it by myself. Now you're half way to join your Grandfather."

She flinched at the pain in her body and groaned out, "I love you, Kouga… I don't think I could've lost you, too…" With that she fell unconscious; letting her head rest on his chest. He looked down at her. Her face was freckled with blood and dirt, but it was the first real time that he took a good look at her. He brushed the hair from her eyes and let his fingers run down the curves of her face before taking his thumb to caress her lips. He was taken back for a second at how astonishing she looked. Not only that, but she had shown so much loyalty and love to him; he was shocked he hadn't seen all before. Ayame was defiantly not what he had expected. Kouga felt the sudden urge to press his lips to her's, so he started to lean in closer and closer to her face, but out of the blue, stopped. I can't do this now, he thought. She's unconscious and badly injured. I need to get her to a safe place.

With Ayame in his arms, he stood up and left to the only place he knew, for sure, that she would be safe.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

HERE WITH YOU?

Kouga had undressed Ayame to clean out her wounds. Relief set over him at the thought that he had shooed everyone in his pack out of the his cave, but his face blushed a bright red as he slipped her armor and white skin pelts off. Though her body was bruised and torn apart, he could still see just how beautiful she was laying gently on his straw pallet on the floor. Slowly, he turned her on her stomach and let his eyes follow down the path of her body, only stopping at her back to glance at the painful reminder that she was like this for him. He felt a twinge somewhere inside of him at the thought.

"I should've protected you better", he whispered while taking a small bucket of water that was set next to him and dunking a cloth into it. Still unconscious, Ayame winced the moment Kouga's hand dripped water from the cloth onto her wounds. The twinge inside of him got bigger. He felt so horrible seeing her like this. All he could do now is wait for her to get better. Just like she waited for him.

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She batted her eyes a few times trying to get her sight to focus. Her head felt like it had been cracked open and her body throbbed in pain. Ayame slowly sat up from the pallet she laid on and looked around pushing off the dark skin pelt that covered her. The sun's ray shined brightly into the empty cave, but this cave wasn't one she recognized. Where am I, she asked when abruptly, she felt a cold breeze. As quickly as she could, she wrapped her arms around herself, but something was missing.

"MY CLOTHES!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs. Someone's gonna pay for this, she thought while taking the dark pelt and wrapping it around herself. She stood up and staggered to the cave's entrance only to be greeted by a smiling Kouga and his happy pack.

"Ayame! You're awake!"

"PERVERT!" she screamed before giving him the hardest smack she could muster up. "GIVE ME BACK MY CLOTHES!" He could feel the impression of her hand sting his cheek.

"Your clothes are right next to my bed…" He pointed back to the cave as he brought up his hand to his face. She gave him a harsh look and staggered back inside. He still couldn't hide the smile that was forming on his face. He had agonized over her for the past week and seeing her up made everything in him want to shout for joy. The pack stood behind him flabbergasted that he had taken this woman's slap as something good.

Even after he tried to explain to them that he was overjoyed because this woman had done so much for him and the least he could do is worry about her, they still didn't see how Kouga was so, obviously, infatuated with her so soon after being dumped by Kagome.

"I'm not infatuated!" They all looked at each other with a grin before bring up the fact that he hadn't left her side for any reason and he wouldn't let anyone else step with in 5 feet of her or even glance her way. Kouga gave them a huff and left them to go inside the cave to speak to Ayame.

He walked in slowly; his grin still firmly placed on his face. She was at the very end of the cave, placing the final bits of white pelts on. Ayame was so lost in her actions that she didn't notice Kouga.

"Ayame", he spoke softly, but it still startled her.

"Kouga!" After a few seconds, she finally was able to calm herself and she began sharply, "What do you want? As you can see, I already have my clothes on."

"Don't think the worst of me. I had to take your clothes off or I wouldn't have been able to treat the wounds on your back." She said nothing to him. He was right, but she still felt a bit violated at the fact that she was naked in front of him. OH, GOD, she thought as a bright blush adorned her face, I was NAKED in front of him! As the thought began to sink in, she began to feel the embarrassment even stronger. How many had seen her nude? How long had she been like that? The questions that she didn't have the nerve to ask Kouga flooded her mind. Almost as if he had been reading her mind he said, "Don't worry, this past week, no one in the pack has seen you… uh… you know", he blushed at the memory of seeing her bare. "I've made sure they didn't."

"Thank you", the words came out meekly from her lips.

"Ayame", he stopped suddenly when her green eyes met his once he called out her name. He didn't expect to feel a huge burst of emotion pull at him. Her face was soft and still a little tinged with the blush that had, moments before, graced her face. Kouga lost all track of what he was thinking. All that was on his mind was the beautiful girl standing opposite of him. Had his pack been right? Had they seen something that he hadn't?

His body began to move without his consent. Kouga was still somewhere lost with in Ayame's eyes, but his feet started moving closer to her. Then his hands. Finally, his face moved in. He could smell the scent of the flower she was named after softly perfuming the air. Which made his face linger a few moments over her shocked face.

WHAT IS HE DOING, she screamed to herself. Is he seriously trying to kiss me! Her heart was hammering within her chest and she began to twitch nervously. He had been very kind to her, but never had it even crossed her mind that his feelings toward her had changed in any way. Seeing him with a lost and dazed look, hovering over her lips and salivating at the chance to kiss her, really was freaking her out. She wasn't sure if it was real or a dream; if he was serious or just playing a trick on her.

"Wha- What are you doing?" She was able to somehow stutter out.

"Ayame… You are a remarkable woman." She turned her eyes away from him, braking the gaze that had entranced him. Still feeling the after shocks from his earth rattling moment, he took his hand and placed it on her chin; bringing her face back in to his view. He let his nose graze her's before closing his eyes and brushing his lips against her trembling mouth. Kouga let his hand trace its way to the back of her neck as he wrapped his other arm around her. Ayame finally fell into his arms and let the kiss slowly deepen.

After a few minutes, she finally pulled away from him. She had to know. "Kouga, why? Why the sudden change of heart? I thought-"

"Ayame", he interrupted her with a soft whisper. He had to tell her what he felt at that moment. "I thought I knew what love was suppose to feel like, but I was more a fool than I was in love. I chose to turn a blind eye at all the things you were willing to bring and give to me. And just when I thought I had figured you out, you opened my eyes to what love really is about. Right now, I wouldn't have anyone, but you, in my arms, Ayame."

She tried to swallow, but she couldn't even move. She was lost in his words. What was she suppose to answer?

"I always knew Kagome's heart never belonged to me, but I never really expected to survive Naraku so it all didn't seem important. I had something to finish that was so much bigger than everything else." He paused for a long moment, tracing the shape of her face with his eyes; craving to sink into another kiss, but instead he continued, "I remember the Moon's Rainbow…"

"What?" Ayame had always thought otherwise. It was a complete shock to her.

"I didn't want you waiting around for someone who, most likely, would ended up dead. Besides, I really didn't know…" He paused again and looked into her eyes with a gentle expression. "I just didn't know, Ayame. I told you I was a fool…"

"Kouga…" She tried to say something, but her tongue stop moving. Everything was coming to her a little too suddenly. She was beginning to feel her legs wobble under all the emotional stress she just got bombarded with. This was the man that she had always loved and had waited for all her life. This was the moment she had always dreamed about, but now that he wanted her and the moment was right, she had no idea what to do.

He took both his hands and cupped her face. "Stay here, Ayame… With me…" His face dove in again to kiss her mouth, but stopped when she stuttered out, "Here… w-with you?" He nodded with a smile. She said nothing; just closed her eyes and leaned forward to meet his lips. Letting her kiss be her answer.

Outside, the pack had been privy to everything that had occurred inside the cave. Mostly due to ease dropping, but they all looked at each other with smiles on their faces. The pack had gained, what they felt like, a good woman, a great warrior, and a brighter future. They felt that Kouga had followed his heart and by doing so, had done what was best for the pack.

After a while, they both came out from the cave hand in hand. A light blush tinted Ayame's face, but Kouga, with the knowledge that he had his woman, beamed as he announced to his pack what they already knew. They still tried to play it off as a surprise when he proclaimed Ayame his. She just brought her clutched hand to her mouth and smiled; obviously still a little embarrassed. He turned back to look at her and gave her a small grin.

And this is how their story began; their first chapter and their happily ever after. They were both finally happy. Kouga got the woman of his dreams and Ayame got the man she always dreamed about.


End file.
